Music and Drama.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVII, Issue V, 3 August 1901, Page 208

Music and Drama.

Miv-grove's Grand Opera Co. has entered on the third week of its Auckland season, and the usual managerial hyperbole, “No standing room,’’ is, in this instance, the most sober expression of fact Quite unexpectedly by both llie public and management, AV.igner has proved the company's iriunp card. Wagner’s operas are, indeed. the talk of the town, and seats for a performance bearing his name have to be Looked four or live days ahead. Perhaps it is not complimentary |o the musical taste of Auckland —which, by Aucklanders, is thought io be particularly good—that one should express surprise, at the success <>f Wagnerian music in this city. Twenty years ago the operas which ■were drawing best in London were Wagner's work, and Haweis remarks; that at that time the Wagnerian cycle of dramas at one theatre and Niebulutigen King at the other kept almost every other opera off the boards. 'After all, we are not surely so behind hand here in music as not to wax en--Ili usiastic over works which delighted London nearly quarter of a cent lire ago.

Of last week's performances, two out of the six were Wagner’s operas, namely, a repetition of “Lohengrin’’ and a first performance of “TannhauSer." The other productions were “Mignon," which we noticed last week, a repetition of “Carmen," and two performances of “Maritan:.." The la st-mentioned is at once one of the most tuneful and most popular of English operas. Its flowing melodics and beautiful lyric which belong to a school in which most of us have gained our conception nnfl appreciation of opera. Consequently ii was to I>e expected that, the performance would be well patronised. And so it

was: but h is worth while recording the fact that the demand for seals

for the first performance was not greater, but rather less, than for the second performance of “Lohengrin,” and the first of “Tannhauser”; and, further, that notwithstanding the uniform excellence of the production, its second performance was, so far as one can judge, less in demand than Wagner's music.

Miss Lilian Coomber makes as sweet a Maritana as she does Marguerite in "Faust.” Superbly arrayed, she was the venire of attraction on the stage whenever she appeared, and her pure voice welled out with delightful clearness in those familiar airs such as “.Scenes That are Brightest," “ft -Was a Knight of Princely Mien,” and “What Mystery.” Signor Salvi was Don Caesar, and he surprised all more by his acting than his voice. No part fits him so well from the dramatic point of view as the bold, dashing, light-hearted Don. His magnificent voice interpreted the music which falls to h’s share with great succesls. Verve and fullness of melody informed that favourite song “Let Me Like a Soldier Fall,” and he was equally good in liis other songs. Mr Lawrence. Mooney, as Don .Jose, had a mortgage on the applause of the audience in that old ballad “In Happy Moments,” while the same may be said of Miss Agnes Jansen in the aria, “Alas Those Chimes.” AU the singers mentioned were applauded to the echo, and recalls and encores were the order of the evening, much more than they have been in any other opera.

The second of Wagner’s operas was staged on Wednesday, “Lohengrin” had raised expectation to a high point for it was understood that “Tannhauser” was, at least in its power of appeal to amateurs of Wagner, a much more impressive work. The predecessor of “Lohengrin” by about two years. "Tannhauser” was the first, opera in which Wagner’s theory stood unmistakeably revealed to those who could rend it. . In it the dramatie, scenic, and musical art walked hand in hand for the first time, setting at nought all the previous conceptions of what opera should be, a mere occasion for singing pretty songs and dancing pretty dances. The magnificence of the opening scene on'this occasion Would of itself have captured Hie. least musical in the audience who might have failed to appreciate the. overture, which has been described as a most wonderful-work. But musical or the reverse, there are few who could resist the indescribable wealth of sound that rises from the orchestra in the overture —sound embodying nil the varied sentiment and passion of the drama. It was the. triumph of M. Slapoffski and his instrumentalists, and, as has been said a dozen times since, is of itself'worth many another opera in its entirety. The music bristles with difficulties for every one engaged, and what marks the excellence of the company is that from the principals down to the least of the chorus the'production showed no sign of weakness. Madame Slap-oli’-ki and Barron Berthaid occupy the lending places in the great musical drama, and both justified the choice of the management. The lady has done nothing better than Elizalietb, and Barron Bcrthald’s Tannhauser is very strong. Mr Lawrence Mooney. Mr Lemprierc Pringle, and Enriqiietta Crichton are all artists whose parts in the opera deserve special notice, had we room here to criticise at length. The same exigency of space prevents us referring to the many splendid numbers of the soloists. and the trained work of the chorus. But even could we do so it would not conwy I he supreme impression of the opera as a whole, the very thing that Wagner's genius was devoted to secure. One certainly' leaves the Hunt re with little of “the sweet rhymes ringing in his head’.’ which the frequenter of operas usually looks for: but,<<n the other hand, one leaves in a spirit of exaltation

that other performances of the operatic kind cannot effect—with a feeling of the reality, the earnestness, the moral beauty of the drama. It is as if one had been among the stars listening to the fullness of the spheral melodies or echoes from the sevenfold harmonies of heaven and had come down to earth again.

Owing to the pressure on our space our critique on the splendid performance of Wagner’s “Flying Dutchman ” on Monday by the Musgrove’s Opera Company has been held over.

While the Staunton Opera Company were in Christchurch Mr Alexander Anderson, of that city, did all in his power to make their visit pleasant and ■ successful. On returning home late one evening last week he was amazed to find his house in the occupation of an operatic surprise party who were busily preparing an elaborate supper. During the sociabilities which followed Mr Hallam, on behalf of the grateful company, presented Mr Antlerson with a silver -mounted alligator skin pocket-book.

thanks as much to the rivalry as 16 the enterprise of Australian managers New Zealand is likely to come in for her fair share of the" best that is agoing. It is rumoured that we may look out next year for “L’Aiglon” and ‘.‘Cyrano de Bergerac,” plays of which we have heard so much. Mr. J. C. Williamson is sending a company- across, which, among other novelties, will stage these.

. Considering how prevalent colds are just, now, it is not a little surprising that Musgrove’s singers should up to the present have- escaped. The. Stanton Opera Company, now in the .South, have suffered considerably in this respect. Madame Belle Cole has recently' had to postpone her Christchurch concert from the same cause.

Mr. Dix introduces the Dart-os to New Zealand on Friday at Dunedin. He is paying them £lOO a week.

Mr. Frederick Villiers, the famous war correspondent, is again lecturing in Westrajia. b

Madame Belle Cole took the contralto part in. the production of “Naaman” by- the Dunedin Choral Society on Tuesday last. The “Messiah" is promised for Thursday. Mr. John I’ronse is taking part in the performance.

Mr. Williamson’s Italian Opera Company commences its Sydney season on F riday, The-principals of the organisation were specially selected from Ln Scala and leading* Italian theatres. The company visits New Zealand early next year.

On Thursday last the members of the Auckland Savage Club, to the number of 75, made a descent on the Opera House, and called Mr Musgrove before the curtain. When he came Or. Lewis, president of the Club, thanked him and his company for the pleasure their visit had given to Auckland, wished them all success in the South, and assured them that if they ever came to Auckland again they' would have a hearty' welcome. Mr Musgrove, in reply, stated that on leaving Sydney if had been freely' foretold that they would lose money' lanvily in bringing so large a conip >ny io New Zealand in mid-winter, lie could only thank Auckland for the truly splendid support given and say th:n it the Sonti'responded anything like as generously the management would have no reason to regret - their venture, and would be encouraged to similar enterprise in the future. Cheers were given for Mr Musgrove, and more for the conductor and orchestra. To Madame Janson and Miss Coomber the club presented superb baskets of flowers, •

Bland Holt, according to an Australian contemporary, will retire at the close of his present, Melbourne season and take a rest of two years. Those who know what a demon for work Mr Holt is—for years he has been at it day and night—ran not wonder I hat the doctors should have decreed he must call a halt. The company will be disbanded.

Mr Walter Bentley is to play iu New York next season. ' •